Bobbin changing loom



Feb. 8, 1938. c. D. BROWN BOBBIN CHANGING LOOM Filed NOV. 5, 1937 INVENTOR. CAEL 0. fieow/v.

fmoiw ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 8, 1938 units!) snares Z,lt7,466

FATENT OFFICE Draper Corporation, poration of Maine Hopedale, Mass, a cor- Applicaticn November 3, 1937, Serial No. 172,554

8 Claims.

The present invention pertains to the filling replenishing mechanism of automatic bobbin changing looms and moreparticularly to bobbin holding means thereof.

Automatic looms of the type to which my invention applies commonly include a hopper arranged to successively present the bobbins in position to be transferred to a shuttle, and a transferrer which periodically transfers a fresh bobbin to the shuttle and ejects thelspent bobbin therefrom. Such looms may also include a filling end parting mechanism which is normally in an inoperative position but which is moved to parting position before transfer and returned to inoperative position after the transfer is completed. The construction of the hopper is such that the bobbin therein which is in position to be transferred is apt to turn on its own axis, which turning frequently results in breakage of the filling end leading from the bobbin.

It has been proposed heretofore to prevent the aforementioned turning of bobbins in the hopper by providing a bobbin supporting or holding member for frictionally engaging the bobbin 5. which is in position to be transferred. Such supporting members as heretofore constructed have been movably mounted on some stationary support and moved out of bobbin supporting position by the transferrer. These prior supporting members are apt to interfere with transfer of the bobbin, because the construction is such that the supporting member must move a considerable distance to get out of the path of the bobbin being transferred and does not start such movement until the transferrer starts its operative stroke. 7

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a filling replenishing'mechanism including a transferrer as aforesaid, a bobbin sup porting member which is movably mounted on the transferrer wherebysuch member is not required to move any very substantial distance to clear the path of the bobbin being transferred, and means for moving said member away from said path before transfer and returning it to operative position is completed.

A further object of the invention is to provide filling replenishing mechanism including a hopper, transferrer and filling end parting mechanism constructed and operating as aforesaid, and a bobbin supporting member which is moved out of bobbin engaging position by means operated by said parting mechanism, whereby such movement is effected before the transferrer starts its operative movement.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are accomplished in the construction illustrated on'the accompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a view in cross-section showing part of an automatic bobbin changing loom having the preferred embodiment of my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating operation of the parts at the time of transfer; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the same.

The drawing shows only part of an automatic bobbin changing loom having the preferred embodiment of my invention applied thereto, other parts and mechanisms not shown being of any usual construction not of the present invention. Such loom includes the usual lay beam l which carries at its right hand end a shuttle box 2 and which reciprocates toward and from the front of the loom, the front of the loom being toward the left on Figs. 1 and 2. A suitable hopper such as the usual rotary hopper 3 is arranged to carry a reserve supply of bobbins 4, 4 and to successively present the bobbins in position to be transferred to the loom shuttle 5. The bobbin 4 Fig. 1, is in transferring position, which is directly over the shuttle box 2 when the lay beam l is at or near its forwardmost position.

The shuttle 5 is picked along the lay beam i, from side to side of the loom, by any usual picking means. When the filling supply in the shut tle becomes substantially exhausted the usual deteoting means (not shown) initiates operation of the filling replenishing mechanism to thereby effect the transfer of bobbin 4 to the shuttle. The filling replenishing mechanism includes a transferrer which has a periodic transferring movement, i. e., the transferrer has an operative movement only at the end of each period defined by substantial exhaustion of the filling supply in the shuttle. The particular transferrer 6 shown is normally stationary in the position illustrated by Fig. 1.

The transferrer 6 is pivotally mounted on a stud I which is fixed in hopper stand 8. The transferrer includes a rearwardly extending arm having a bobbin-engaging head at its rearward end. Such head may include a depending portion 9 for engaging the butt of the bobbin and a laterally extending rod l0 having a depending fork H for engaging the filling supply on the bobbin. The portion 9 and fork II are normally positioned directly over the bobbin 4 The transferrer 6 also includes a depending arm I 2 having a latch l3 pivoted thereto. The latch one pick prior to actual transfer.

l3 normally hangs down as on Fig. 1 but upon call for filling replenishment is moved upwardly into the path of a bunter l4 on the lay beam I. Then, when the lay beam next moves forwardly the bunter 14 engages latch l3 and swings the transferrer head downwardly to transfer the bobbin 4 to the shuttle, Fig. 2. The transferrer head is moved upwardly, by spring l5, as the lay beam recedes, and the hopper 3 simultaneously moves the next bobbin 4 into transferring position.

The loom shown also includes filling end parting mechanism for parting and clamping the outgoing filling end at the time of transfer. The

parting mechanism may include parting blades 16 which are mounted on a carrier H. The carrier [1 is slidably supported on a fixed guide I8 for movement rearwardly to operative or parting position and forwardly to inoperative position. An actuator I9 is pivoted on the stud 1'. This actuator swings rearwardly, to move the parter carrier and bladesrearwardly, at the same time that latch I3 'is moved upwardly, which is less than The actuator swings forwardly, to move the parter blades to inoperative position, immediately after the transferring operation is completed. This parting mechanism is not, per se, of the present invention, a more complete disclosure being found'in patent to Burdett, No. 1,833,532, granted Oct. 18, a

It is the bobbin 4 in transferring position that tends to turn on its own axis in the hopper. The present invention provides, in combination with parts such as those above described, means for effectively holding or supporting the bobbin against turning. The preferred embodiment of such supporting means includes a bobbin supporting member in the form of a lever 20. In accordance with the invention the lever 29 is movably mounted on the transferrer, it being preferably pivoted on the rod [0 of the transferrerhead. A depending arm 2| of the lever 29 has a friction head 22. A spring 23 serves to bias the lever counter-clockwise, Fig. 1, and thus holds the head 22 in frictional engagement with the bobbin 4 The frictionhead 22 bears upwardly and rearwardly against the bobbin and the latter is prevented from turning both because itis I supported in proper position in the hopper and because it is frictionally engaged by the head 22.

Since the bobbin supporting member 20 is mounted on the transferrer head and therefore moves up and down with the transferrer, only a slight pivotal movement of the member on the rod II will move the head 22 out of the path which bobbin 4 follows in being transferred to the shuttle. The invention further provides novel means for moving a bobbin supporting member, such as member 28, to and from bobbin engaging position.

In the preferred embodiment, the upper end of member 2!! is provided with astud 2d engaging in a slot 25 in the rearward end of a connecting link 26. The forward end of the link 26 is pivoted'at 2'! to a stand 28 on the actuator iii. The construction is such'that when the actuator 19 is forward and latch I3 is down the friction head 22 is in supporting engagement with the bobbin 4 Upon call for replenishment of the filling supply, the actuator l9 swings rearwardly to move the parting blades Hi to operative position. Simultaneously with said movement of the on rod It and thereby move the head 22 forwardly out of engagement with the bobbin I The aforementioned movement of head 22 out of bobbin supporting position occurs substantially in advance of engagement of latch 53 by bunter I4. Thus, the bobbin supporting member is moved out ofjthe path of bobbin d before the transferring movement of transferrer i3 is started. The actuator l9 remains in its rearward position and holds the lever 28 out of bobbin supporting position during operation of the transferrer. Immediately after the transferrer has completed its downward and upward movement and the hopper has presented another bobbin in transferring po-- sition, the actuator is returns to its forward position. This forward movement of the actuator is accompanied by return of the lever 2! to bobbin supporting position.

The embodiment herein disclosed is simple, yet very effective in preventing bobbins from turning in the hopper. Furthermore, the bobbin supporting member and its supporting and operating.

means are so arranged that the device will not cause improper transfers by obstructing the bobbin which is being transferred to the shuttle.

Having fully disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. In a filling replenishing mechanism for automatic bobbin changing looms, the combination of a transferrer, a bobbinsupporting device movably mounted on said. transferrer for movement into and out of bobbin supporting position, and means for moving said device out of said position prior to operative movement of said transferrer and returning said device to said position after said movement of said transferrer is completed.

2. In a filling replenishing mechanism for automatic bobbin changing looms, the combination of a normally stationary transferrer havinga periodic bobbin transferring movement, a bobbin supporting member pivotally mounted on said transferrer for movement into and out of bobbin supporting position, and means for moving said member out of said position prior to movement of said transferrer and returning said member to bobbinsupporting position immediately after said movement of said transferrer is completed.

3. In a filling replenishing mechanism for automatic bobbin changing looms, the combination of a rotary hopper arranged to successively present bobbins in. position to be transferred to a shuttle, a normally stationary transferrer having a periodic bobbin transferring movement, a bobbin supporting member pivotally mounted on said transferrer for movement. into and out of supporting engagement with the bobbin in transferring position in said hopper, and means for moving said member out of engagement with said bobbin prior to movement of said transferrer and returning said member to bobbin supporting position immediately after said movement of said transferrer is completed. 7

4. In a bobbin changing loom, the combinatio of a hopper arranged to successively present bobbins in position to be transferred to a shuttle, bobbin changing mechanism including a' transferrer, filling end parting mechanism moving to operative position prior to transfer and away from said position after transfer, a bobbin supporting member, and 'means operated by said parting mechanism for moving said member into and out of supporting engagement with the bobbin in transferring position in said hopper.

5. In a bobbin changing loom, the combination of a hopper arranged to successively present bobbins in position to be transferred to a shuttle, bobbin changing mechanism including a transferrer, filling end parting mechanism including parting blades and an actuator for moving said blades to parting position prior to transfer and away from said position immediately after transfer, a bobbin supporting member normally in engagement with the bobbin in transferring position in said hopper, and means operated by said actuator for moving said member out of engagement with said bobbin simultaneously with movement of said blades to parting position.

6. In a bobbin changing loom, the combination of a rotary hopper arranged to successively present bobbins in position to be transferred to a shuttle, bobbin changing mechanism including a normally stationary transferrer having a periodic transferring movement, filling end parting mechanism moving to operative position prior to transferring movement of said transferrer and away from said position after transfer is completed, a bobbin supporting member pivotally mounted for movement into and out of engagement with thebobbin in transferring position in said hopper, and means operated by said parting mechanism for moving said member out of engagement with said bobbin simultaneously with movement of said parting mechanism to operative position, said means returning said member to bobbin supporting position simultaneously with movement of said parting mechanism away from operative position.

'7. In a bobbin changing loom, the combination of a hopper arranged to successively present bobbins in position to be transferred to a shuttle, bobbin changing mechanism including a transferrer, a bobbin supporting member movably mounted on said transferrer and arranged to support the bobbin in transferring position in said hopper, filling end parting mechanism moving to operative position prior to transfer and away from said position immediately after transfer, and connections between said parting mechanism and said member constructed and arranged to move said member out of and into bobbin supporting position as said parting mechanism moves respectively toward and away from its operative position.

8. In a bobbin changing loom, the combination of a hopper arranged to successively present bobbins in position to be transferred to a shuttle, bobbin changing mechanism including a normally stationary transferrer having a periodic bobbin transferring movement, a lever pivotally mounted on said transferrer and having an arm supporting the bobbin in transferring position in said hopper, filling end parting mechanism including parting blades and an actuator moving said blades to parting position prior to movement of said transferrer and away from said position after movement of said transferrer is completed, and a link connecting said actuator with said lever for moving said arm away from and toward bobbin supporting position as said parting blades are moved respectively toward and away from operative position.

CARL D. BROWN. 

